Four Decades of Magic

Over the last four decades, the Walt Disney World Resort has created magical memories for millions of guests. From its early days as a single theme park with a handful of resorts and amenities to its current roster of multiple theme parks, water parks, resorts, and other vacation destinations, Disney World has, in many ways, defined the Great American vacation. In honor ofOver the last four decades, the Walt Disney World Resort has created magical memories for millions of guests. From its early days as a single theme park with a handful of resorts and amenities to its current roster of multiple theme parks, water parks, resorts, and other vacation destinations, Disney World has, in many ways, defined the Great American vacation. In honor of the resort's 40th anniversary in October 2011, â��Four Decades of Magicâ�� brings together the most diverse and complete group of Disney experts yet to share their memories, stories, and experiences with the world's most magical place. Whether you've been to Disney World many times or just a few, this special compilation will introduce you to unique, true life tales that have caused this magical destination to hold such a special place in the hearts of so many....more

Community Reviews

A fantastic collection of essays about Walt Disney World. The average Disney fan will learn plenty from this lengthy book, meanwhile even the diehards will find new bits of information laced throughout its various topics.

My only complaint is that the book could have used a little more proof reading. Though not bad as a whole with a few errors here and there, the first twoessays by Tom Corless are filled with typos. It was almost laughable.

But don't let that stop you from reading this book. FourA fantastic collection of essays about Walt Disney World. The average Disney fan will learn plenty from this lengthy book, meanwhile even the diehards will find new bits of information laced throughout its various topics.

My only complaint is that the book could have used a little more proof reading. Though not bad as a whole with a few errors here and there, the first two essays by Tom Corless are filled with typos. It was almost laughable.

But don't let that stop you from reading this book. Four Decades of Magic is a great read for any fan of Walt Disney World and the company itself. I guarantee you will learn something new. Very highly recommended!...more

As a lover of all things Disney,I tend to gravitate towards books written about Disney. I saw this book listed on Amazon after one of my periodic searches for new books and decided that I had to get it! There aren't a huge amount of books out there that contain a detailed history of the theme parks, and the best part is that I've interacted with some of the authors!

The book is divided into essays, each having a specific topic. These range from essays about the history of the parades in Magic KinAs a lover of all things Disney,I tend to gravitate towards books written about Disney. I saw this book listed on Amazon after one of my periodic searches for new books and decided that I had to get it! There aren't a huge amount of books out there that contain a detailed history of the theme parks, and the best part is that I've interacted with some of the authors!

The book is divided into essays, each having a specific topic. These range from essays about the history of the parades in Magic Kingdom, to one about Horizons. Each essay is penned by someone who is well known in the Walt Disney company, or in the Disney community, and it is quite clear the level of both enthusiasm and expertise that each author has given.

Some of the essays that caught my eye in particular were the ones about Horizons (one of my favorite old school EPCOT attractions), Spaceship Earth, Western River Expedition and Sunset Boulevard. Like many anthologies of short stories, there were several stories that I found uninteresting on a personal level, such as the one about Sports or Hoop De Doo, however, all in all, the book interested me.

The content of the actual collection contained mostly information that I had heard about on various Disney podcasts or articles I had read in recent years, but there were several interesting facts that I hadn't known previously that came to light upon reading this, in particular about Spaceship Earth (the dreaded wand!) Plus, it is wonderful to have the memories invoked of riding previous attractions such as Horizons, which I hadn't' thought about or seen in a very long time!

One of the essays that interested me the most was the one about the history of Disney Parades at the Magic Kingdom. This was a topic I never was really into, having considered myself to be a non fan of parades, however, it was interesting to read about the various changes that have taken place to the parades over the years.

I would recommend this book to a Disney fan who loves the history of the theme parks. If you are a casual fan, this book might interest you, but it would definitely be of high interest to someone who loves the culture and richness of the Florida Disney parks as a whole. 4 out of 5 stars....more

Loved all the inside info about Disney past! The short essays ,are it an easier read than just a large book of historical facts. Love to find out the deep history that the Disney parks hold. Makes me appreciate it more and look of ore at the parks.

I like the stories in this book, but they just weren't enough to hold my attention right now. I've got too many other pressing things to read. I'm planning on going back and finishing the book during a less busy reading time.

Great collection of stories about the hsitory of WDW. Like any anthology, some stories are better thaqn others, but I dare you to get through this book without learning somehting new and interesting about the World!